Bread-slicer.



J. F. DECKER & F. RAIMER.

BREAD SLICER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 30, 1916.

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J. F. DECKER & F. RAIMER.

BREAD SLICER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 30, 1916. 1,217,717. Patented .Feb. 27, 1917.

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JOHN F. DECKER AND FaAnK RAIMER, or, ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS.

BREAD-smears.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patnted- Feb, 27, 1917.

Application filed August 30, 1916. Serial No. 117,744.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN F. DECKER and FRANK RAIMER, citizens of the United States, residing at Adams, in thecounty of: Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bread- Slicers, of which the followingis a specification, I

This inventiton relates to slicing machines and has particular application to a breadslicing machine.

The principal object of the present invention. is to improvethe construction of de-, tails in a machine of this class, especially with respect to the means for holding the feed mechanism retracted while inserting a loaf, for preventing it from getting under the knife, for causing the knife to descend with a shear cut or a substantially vertical out as required, and for permitting adjust? ment of the gage to vary the thickness of the slices.

Other characteristicsof the invention will appear as the specification is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which t Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device constructed in accordance with our inven- 7 tion.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4.-'1 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation with the gage removed.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail our invention comprises in this instance a table 1, which is preferably rectangular in forma- I tion and which is supported by means of the end walls 2 and the side wall 3. The table 1 isprovi'ded with a longitudinally extending slot 1 which has its rear end terminating in spaced relation to the transversely extending slice opening or wide slot 5, the latter slot being arranged adjacent one end of the table as is clearly shown in the draw- To the rear of said opening is another longitudinally extending slot 6 which has its front end communicating with the opening 5. Slidably mounted within the front slot 4 is a rackbar 7, its under side being provided with the teeth8. The inner end of the bar 7 is provided with acarrier or feeding plate "9, the plate being vertically disposed upon the upper side of the table 1. Secured to the under side of the table 1 is a depending bearing 10, While secured to theinner side of the wall 3 is a second bearing 11.. Journaled within the bearings 10 and 11 is a shaft 12 upon which is keyed the gear 13, the gear being disposed directly below the slot 1 and engageable with the teeth 8 thereby upon rotation of the gear the rack bar will be reciprocated. To actuate the gear 13, the rack bar 7 and consequently the carrier plate 9, we provide theinner side of the wall 3 with bearings 14 in which is journaled the shaft-1'5. Trained upon the shaft 15 is a clock spring 16 which. has its inner end secured'tothe shaft while its larger end is fixed uponthe stud 17. Rigidly secured to the shafts 15 and 12 are pulleys 18. which l are connected by means of an endless belt 19 whereby upon imparting motion to the shaft 7 15, movement will be transmitted to the shaft 12 as will be understood.

It will be manifest from the. foregoing construction that whe'n the carrierplate 9 is disposed at. the'forward end of the slot4, the spring 16 will be partially wound upon the shaft 15 so that the latter will be held under tension. that when the carrier plate '9 is released, the spring 16 will exert its tension to unwind thereby causing the pulleys 18 to revolve It will further-be evident thus transmitting motionto the gear 13 and the rack bar 7 and causing the carrier plate to be moved forwardly toward the slot or opening 5. f To look the carrier plate 9 in starting position, we fasten it to" the rack barby a bracket having suitable latching means 20, which ;isengageable with the plate 21, the latter bridging the slot 4 disposed in the path of movement of the latch 20. To limit the inwardmoi e'ment of the carrier plate,

we provide the table 1, just'f rward of the slice opening 5, with thespaced upright stops 22 which are adapted to be engaged by the carrier pl-ate to prevent thelatter from moving beyond the opening as will be understood.

In this instance we have shown the table provided with two straps 21 which are mounted for swinging movement across the slot & and are primarily designed for locking the rack bar 7 within the slot l. To prevent the accidental displacement of the straps 21, we have provided the table with buttons 23 which engage the free ends of the straps 21 as will be understood.

Extending from the wall 3 is a bar 2% which has secured to its free end a pair of spaced guide members 25, the latter being slotted longitudinally as at 26 to slidably receive the bolt 27. Secured to the bolt 27 and arranged between the guide members 25 is the pointed end of the knife 28, the knife being of any suitable construction preferably one with the corrugated cutting edge. The knife is disposed directly above the opening or slot 5 and is mounted for reciprocating movement within the guide members 25 as will be understood. To limit the upward movement of the knife 28, we have provided at the inner end of the opening or slot 5 an upstanding guide member 29, the member being slotted to receive the knife and at the same time to permit the free movement of the knife within the bread.

To vary the thickness of the cut of the slices cut from the loaf of bread, we provide a gage 30 which is carried by a bar 31 mounted for sliding movement within the rear slot 6. To permit the locking of the gage 30 in any desired position, we have provided the bar 31 with a clamp 32, the clamp extending vertically through the bar and slot and engaging the under side of the table 1 as will be understood. It will be evident from the foregoing con struction that the gage may be adjusted to any desired position by the manipulation of the clamp 32 to engage or release the bar 31 when moving the gage toward or away from the slot 5.

Having described the detailed construction of our device we will now describe the operation of the same. In practice,the carrier plate 9 is retracted a sufficient distance to permit the placing of the loaf between the carrier plate and the gage 30, it being understood that the plate 9 may be held in retracted position by the latch 20 automatically engaging one of the strips 21, as has been described. After the loaf has been placed upon the table, the latch is released whereby the spring 16 will unwind thereby moving the rack bar inwardly and thus causing the plate 9 to engage and move the loaf between'the steps 22 and into engagement with the gage 80. It is assumed that the knife is now in elevated position, its pointed end being in the upper end of the guide members 25. Upon forcing the knife downwardly, the bread is sliced, the opening 5 being of such a length and width to permit the slices to drop through the table whereby the same may be readily removed. It will be noted that the inclined guide members 25 cause a downward and rearward movement of the knife to permit the same to slice the bread with a shear cut, although it is possible if the user so desires to swing the blade around the bolt 27 as a pivot and move its heel downward within the upright guide 29 so as to cut the loaf with a substantially vertical cut. The nature of the cut depends upon the character of the loaf being cut and the edge which the knife possesses. To sharpen this edge the bolt 27 is removed and the blade with drawn from both guides. The cutting operation having been completed, and the knife raised, the spring 16 will force the loaf forward so as to again contact with the gage 30, this movement being repeated after each slice is cut, as will be understood. When the loaf has been completely sliced and it is desired to slice another loaf, the carrier plate is retracted whereby the rack bar will impart a reverse motion to the shafts l2 and 15 thereby causing the spring to rewind upon the shaft 15. Thus it will be seen that the spring 16 is again under tension to move the carrier plate forwardly in slicing the next loaf. It will be manifest that the spring is automatically rewound when retracting the plate 9 thus eliminating the necessity of manually rewinding the spring.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings that the construction and operation of this device will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that minor changes in size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is 1. In a bread slicing machine. the combination with a table whose top has a trans I.

verse opening between its ends through which the slices drop, a longitudinal slot in rear of and communicating with said opening, and a longitudinal slot in front of said opening; of a gage standing within said opening, a bar supporting it and longitudinally adjustable within the rear slot, loaffeeding mechanism, means for moving it forward within the front slot, stops rising from the table just forward from the sliceopening, and slicing mechanism above said opening.

2. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a table top having a transverse opening through which the slices drop and a longitudinal slot forward of said opening, a gage longitudinally adjustable on the top in rear of such opening, and the slicing mechanism above the opening; of a rack bar slidably mounted in said slot, an upright carrier plate, a bracket securing it to the means bearing the rack bar and plate norrack bar and provided with a latch, a strap mally toward the slicing mechanism for the pivoted at one end to the table top and purpose set forth.

adapted to swing across said slot, a button In testimony whereof we affix our signa- 5 for engaging the free end of the strap, the tures. v

latter adapted to engage said-latch when JOHN F. DECKER.

the carrier plate is retracted, and yielding FRANK RAIMER.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

